Fresh Start Women’s Foundation names Angela Tate chief impact officer
Fresh Start Women’s Foundation has appointed Angela Tate as Chief Impact Officer. In this role, she will lead Fresh Start’s social work and community engagement teams and strategies. Tate previously served as the Regional Vice President of Community Impact in the Western States for the American Heart Association.
Tate is charged with leading Fresh Start’s work to identify and address the needs of women in underserved communities and communities of color across the Valley. Her role is critical to Fresh Start delivering on its goal to expand and scale the Impact Program, a science-based, evidence-informed model to break intergenerational cycles of poverty and help more women achieve self-sufficiency and success.
“As a woman of color, I know firsthand the unique obstacles and challenges that women in Greater Phoenix face in transforming their lives to support themselves and their families and pursue their dreams,” said Tate. “I believe the term ‘women empowerment’ is meaningless until there are systems and strategies in place to support it, and it is an honor and privilege to have been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to expand Fresh Start’s impact. Connecting with individuals and communities is my driving force and motivation, and I am eager to hit the ground running.”
During Tate’s tenure with the American Heart Association, she was responsible for leading the development, implementation, integration, and evaluation of strategies and plans to achieve the Western States region’s health impact and revenue goals in Arizona and nine additional States. In addition, Tate served as the internal consultant to the Western States on community and population health strategies and trends with a specialized focus on programs to drive health improvement across vulnerable communities, working closely with leaders in the region to achieve their respective State fiscal and health goals based on the diversity of each community.
Newmark hires Patrick Devine as senior managing director
Newmark announces it has hired Pat Devine as a Senior Managing Director in the Company’s Phoenix office.Devine brings over 25 years of experience, specializing in office property leasing for institutional and private clients.
“We are excited to welcome Pat to our team and further bolster our agency leasing platform,” said Mike Garlick, Executive Managing Director and Market Leader of Newmark’s Phoenix office. “Patrick’s extensive experience and deep understanding of navigating market dynamics, coupled with his commitment to delivering exceptional client results, makes him a strong addition to the firm.”
Prior to joining Newmark, Devine served as Senior Vice President for Artis REIT, where he oversaw the US leasing operations of a robust six million square foot portfolio, encompassing industrial and office projects across Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis and Houston. Devine also played an integral role in advising on over five million square feet of speculative industrial and office developments.
“Pat has established himself as a trusted advisor with a history of guiding clients through complex leasing transactions,” said Greg May, Newmark Executive Vice President and West Region Market Leader. “We welcome him aboard and are confident Pat’s expertise and strategic mindset will augment the firm’s agency leasing platform in the Phoenix market.”
NAI Horizon’s National Self-Storage Investment Group adds to its team
The Nunez Self-Storage Group, A National Self-Storage Investment Team, continues its growth in the West with the hiring of self-storage sales specialist Andrew Agresta in the Phoenix office of NAI Horizon.
Denise Nunez, Executive Managing Director of the National Self-Storage Investment Team, also recently announced the addition of Edward Milton, an investment sales specialist since 2015, to the group.
A native of Blacksburg, Virginia, Agresta previously served as Business Development Manager for OpenTech Alliance, a tech/software company for the self-storage industry. His primary duties consisted of generating, managing, and executing revenue opportunities for the Mountain territory of the U.S. and Canada.
Prior to that, Agresta was Director of Business Development for Joseph Studios, a digital marketing firm. He was responsible for the generation of all sales revenue and for a team of 10 sales development representatives.
He joins the Nunez Self-Storage Group as an Investment Sales Associate.
“Andrew has established relationships working with self-storage owners and operators on a local and national basis. His focus at NAI Horizon will be to continue to foster those relationships, providing that same level of customer service and expertise in his new role as a commercial real estate agent – specializing in the sales and acquisition of self-storage assets,” Nunez said.
Brad Vynalek appointed as board chair for Teach For America Phoenix
Teach For America Phoenix, a leading education nonprofit in the Valley, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Brad Vynalek as the new Board Chair for its Regional Advisory Board. With his eight years of experience as a Board Member and leadership of the Development Committee, Vynalek will play a pivotal role in furthering Teach For America’s mission of providing high quality, equitable education to all children in Arizona.
As Board Chair, Brad Vynalek will lead the Teach For America Phoenix Regional Board, collaborating with a diverse group of business leaders, community leaders, and philanthropists. His strategic guidance and dedication will help shape Teach For America’s vision, enhance its impact, and drive meaningful transformation within the education landscape. “Brad Vynalek is the leader that Teach For America Phoenix needs at this moment in its history. His deep knowledge of the organization and its mission, his commitment to its development, and his passion for improving the lives of students throughout the region will be tremendous assets moving forward.” says outgoing Board Chair, Barbara Ryan Thompson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Helios Education Foundation.
“Teach For America is a national leader in attracting amazing and diverse leaders to pursue paths as educators,” said Vynalek. “Here in Arizona, Teach For America educators have been a driving force in innovative and equitable education. Since joining the Phoenix Regional Advisory Board eight years ago, I have seen firsthand the impact those educators have on students, their families, and the education ecosystem. I am so thrilled to deepen my involvement as Chair of the Board this year and to help with this important mission.”
Brad Vynalek’s leadership in the Phoenix community extends beyond the education sector. He is the President of Quarles & Brady LLP, a national law firm with offices in Phoenix and Tucson, and an Executive Committee Member at Greater Phoenix Economic Council. His experience and unique perspective will help forge strategic partnerships, secure resources, and amplify the impact of Teach For America Phoenix.
“We are thrilled to introduce Brad Vynalek as our new Board Chair. His longtime leadership, commitment to educational equity, and strong relationships in the community will continue to be instrumental in advancing our mission and deepening our impact in the Phoenix community,” said Steve Erickson, Executive Director of Teach For America Phoenix. “We also extend our deepest gratitude to Barbara Ryan Thompson for her exceptional leadership and unwavering belief in the potential of all children as outgoing Board Chair. Her strategic vision, collaborative spirit, and ability to bring diverse stakeholders together have propelled us forward in our efforts to create a more just and equitable education system.”
Olsson expands executive leadership team
Olsson has expanded its executive leadership group in a move that positions the organization for continued success. The 10-person team includes several new members and roles.
“It’s imperative that Olsson has a strong leadership structure in place as we continue to grow,” Chief Executive Officer Brad Strittmatter said. “This expanded team enables us to serve clients, provide a strong employee experience and build on our success.”
Strittmatter has served as Olsson’s CEO since 2016. He will continue to focus on Olsson’s vision, culture, brand expansion, succession and creating shareholder value.
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Jenkins will continue in the role he has held since 2010. Jenkins oversees finance and accounting, as well as Olsson’s legal, insurance and commercial real estate matters.
Two other tenured executive team members will serve in newly created positions:
Chief Relationship Officer John Olsson will oversee Olsson’s government relations group and will work to develop connections within the public sector. He has served on the executive team since 2009.
Chief Culture Officer Melissa Newton will continue to focus on Olsson’s people, overseeing the firm’s talent, organizational design and brand. She has been a member of the executive team since 2008.
The six new members of the executive team all have leadership backgrounds at Olsson:
Chief Operating Officer Ron Mersch will oversee Olsson’s markets, disciplines and geographies. He will focus on performance, efficiency, structural alignment and technical expertise. He previously led the firm’s Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas region.
Chief Development Officer Dave Roberts will lead Olsson’s growth strategy, including sales and mergers and acquisitions. Roberts previously led Olsson’s facilities practice.
Executive Vice President of Markets Sarah Foster will focus on strategy and operations across Olsson’s technical markets. Foster assumes the role after leading Olsson’s water practice.
Executive Vice President of Disciplines Len Swartz will focus on developing technical expertise and increasing capacity to serve a variety of clients. Swartz most recently led Olsson’s site civil practice.
Executive Vice President of Innovation and Sales Jered Morris will oversee the firm’s business development efforts and will focus on using technology to expand client offerings. Morris most recently led Olsson’s sales and growth team.
Executive Vice President of Talent Meghan O’Connell will implement strategies that promote a best-in-class environment for Olsson’s workforce. O’Connell previously led Olsson’s talent group.
Olsson is an engineering and design firm made up of people who craft expert solutions that improve communities. We offer consulting services in planning and design, engineering, field services, environmental and technology. For more information, visit www.olsson.com.
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